Dubai Mammoths set to go on UK tour for sixth consecutive year

Denzil Pinto 19:44 12/06/2018
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  • England bound: Dubai Mammoths

    After a busy domestic season in the UAE, Dubai Mammoths will test themselves against English opposition when they travel to the UK for a week-long tour on Saturday.

    Also known as Sindhi Club, Dubai Mammoths will play five matches consisting of 35 and 40 overs against local clubs in Liverpool.

    The team, whose players are 40 and over, will be led by all-rounder Shiva Pagarani and can look forward to playing fixtures against Hinckley Cricket Club, Luton Indians Cricket Club, Wavertree Cricket Club, Liverpool Select XI and Leicester Seniors Cricket Club.

    It will be the sixth consecutive year that Dubai Mammoths will be visiting England and Pagarani says they are looking forward to testing themselves against their peers in the UK.

    “It will be a very good opportunity for us to play in England because it really is the home of cricket,” he said. “We will play on traditional English wickets which will be a great test and the weather is so nice over there.

    “In Dubai we play one match and then you tend to get tired because of the hot weather. In England, that’s not the case as you can play three games in a row and your tiredness will only come in the third match. We will be kind of fresh and ready to go for every match.”

    He added: “We know it will be a difficult tour because it definitely won’t be the same type of cricket that we’ll play in Dubai. There’s a lot of T20 cricket played in the UAE which is what we are used to but the 30 and 35-overs format will be a challenge. We get to learn to play a longer format where skill and patience will both be required. It is something that we are very excited about as it will develop our skills as a cricketer.”

    The tour is organised in partnership with City Cricket Academy who have arranged the fixtures and venues.

    “They are well connected in the cricket circuit around England and they have some good clubs who are above 40,” Pagarani stated.

    “Every time we have gone there, we have played at very good venues and arrange fixtures against competitive teams which is very good for us.”

    On their last visit, Mammoths got the chance to watch India and Pakistan in the Champions Trophy and Pagarani says there are plans to watch the arch-rivals again in next year’s World Cup.

    “Every year the tour gets better and better because we want to enhance the tour as best as we can every time,” he said.

    “Next year we are planning to go to Leicester and do the tour with the family so our wife and children can experience what this cricketing tour is as a whole.”

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